Bookmarks

The Land

The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a 1,440 km (900 miles)-1- route that circles the island of Shikoku. As mentioned before, the route traverses four different prefectures: Tokushima, Kochi, Matsuyama and Kagawa. However, there is a second delineation as well. Each prefecture represents a different region on the path to Enlightenment; Tokushima Prefecture is hosshin (発心) or Awakening Faith, Kochi Prefecture is shugyō (修行) or Taking Religious Disciplines, Ehime Prefecture is bodai (菩提) or Attaining Enlightenment and finally, Kagawa Prefecture is nehan (涅槃) or Entering Nirvāna. These regions are not arbitrary by any means.

The monk Ryōgen (912-85), who became the head monk on Mt. Hiei (比叡山) in the northwest of Kyōto, uses these four terms to show how plants are attaining Enlightenment and Buddha hood. “Grasses and trees already have four phases, namely, that of sprouting out, that of residing [and growing], that of changing [and reproducing], and that of dying.”-2- This analogy is very telling of the meaning of these four stages.

Before the process begins, plants live underground, blind to the world. Before starting the pilgrimage, one might read about it and try to get a sense of what it means to participate in the pilgrimage, but the weight and size of the task is still beyond one’s understanding. Then, as the plants become aware of the world around, they begin to push up through the dirt and take in the warmth of the world. This stage describes hosshin, or Awakening Faith. Upon stepping out the gate of temple one, the reality of the pilgrimage becomes clear. At first, Tokushima is an easy walk with towns and cities all around. The path is almost inviting and friendly, but as time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult and, as one travel guide puts it, “wild.”-3- Thus, it is the place where one must make the determination to continue on (and awaken), or decide it is too much (and return to sleep).

At this point, the plants feel the need to continue to push up and become more and more free of the dirt from which they originated. However, while they are emerging into the world, the plants are exposed to adverse conditions in which fortitude and drive are required to survive. This period represents shugyō, or Taking Religious Disciplines. Kōchi has always been the most difficult region for pilgrims. Traditionally, pilgrims received harsh treatment at the hands of the prefecture militia, suffered great difficulty in understanding the local dialect, were met by a harsh landscape and generally found it to be one of the scariest and most difficult areas through which to travel. Even in modern times, the path is difficult due to the long distances between temples and the local dialect, which is still widely used.-4- All these elements combined have given the prefecture a hard reputation and only those pilgrims who are strong in their will have been able to make it through.

As the plants grow strong and vibrant even against the assault of the elements, they undergo a fundamental change that changes who they are and their purpose. This is shown in the drive for reproduction in plants. Their whole life switches from self-preservation to the encouragement of new life. This kind of change illustrates the feeling of bodai. From Kōchi, the pilgrim moves into Ehime Prefecture. Ehime contains the most temples of any prefecture on the island and upon reaching it, one’s journey is about half over. Thus, at this point, one’s mind should have become well attuned to the world of the pilgrimage – the life one had before the pilgrimage is nothing but a distant memory while at the same time, the end of the path is too far away to start thinking of returning home.-5- With this mindset, one can at last accrue “wisdom.”

Finally, as the plants grow old, they eventually die. At last, free of the body, the plant-person is able to rejoin the life force that binds all life.-6- Furthermore, the decaying body left behind returns to the earth and fosters the growth of other seed-people still trapped underground. In this way, nehan, or Attaining Enlightenment is achieved. At last, Kagawa Prefecture comes into view. It is the place of completion. At last, one’s journey around the island comes to an end. The experience of the journey sets one free and gives one a new perspective from which to return to one’s life. Thus, Nirvāna is achieved.

Circles

Although the pilgrimage technically “begins” in Tokushima at temple one, Ryōzanji, it is fashioned into a circle; without beginning or end. Thus one may start at any temple and as long as one returns to the temple of origin, one has completed the pilgrimage. Of course, this policy was formed in consideration of pilgrims of older times who were forced to take a ferry from the mainland to Shikoku. Those pilgrims coming from Kyūshū would have extra difficulty if they were forced to travel halfway around Shikoku just to start at temple one. However, with the construction of the Seto-Chuo Expressway (allowing train and vehicular traffic to travel from Kagawa Prefecture from Okayama Prefecture), the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway (allowing easy vehicle accessibility to Tokushima Prefecture from Hyogo Prefecture), and the Nishi-seto Expressway (offering easy vehicular access to Ehime Prefecture from Hiroshima Prefecture), it has become much easier to access Shikoku from the main islands of Japan.-1- Thus, most pilgrims choose to begin at temple one where they feel the trail “begins.”

Completing the Route

Traditionally the pilgrimage is performed clockwise, following the legend of Emon Saburō discussed in the history section. However, there is also the “reverse” pilgrimage that is a step beyond this. As the legend says, Emon followed the Daishi around Shikoku many, many times until he realized that if he took the route backward, he would be sure to encounter the Daishi. Sure enough, near Temple 12, Shozenji, he at last met the Daishi before his own death. Thus, pilgrims who have performed the route many times clockwise will sometimes choose to perform it reversed to increase their chances of meeting the Daishi. Of course, performing the route backwards presents its own difficulties as all the signs point in the clockwise direction. One must truly be attuned to the pilgrimage route in order to be successful. As a result, there is a sense of awe toward the pilgrim who completes this difficult reverse pilgrimage.

Regardless of one’s chosen starting point or direction, the route must be completed nonetheless. For a walking pilgrim, the route usually takes around two months to finish while a bus pilgrim can do it in a couple weeks and a car pilgrim in a single week. Although many of the temples on the route are at sea level or close to it, there are temples known as nansho (難所), or “difficult place” due to their position atop the high mountains in Shikoku. Temple 66, Unpenji (雲邊寺), is the highest of all at 3,060 feet above sea level. Needless to say, these temples were the bane of many pilgrims in the old days. Due to modern advancements, only four of the original temples are still classified as nansho, as roads can bring one to within only a mile or two of the temples. Some pilgrims, such as Bishop Miyata, seem to mourn the loss of nansho and feel some annoyance toward those pilgrims who “have it easy” and who can take the bus all the way up the mountains. This is evidenced when he writes, “Finally we are faced with the challenge of walking a steep mountain path for three hours round trip”-1- in regards to Temple 60, Yokomineji (横峰寺).

As brought up in the previous paragraph, there are different ways that one can complete the pilgrimage. The vast majority of pilgrims perform the pilgrimage on tour busses that shuttle them from temple to temple or on taxis. All at once, the pilgrimage takes about two weeks to complete by bus and a little over one week by taxi. However, one needs not do it all at once. Due to busy schedules and social pressures, bus companies started offering segmented pilgrimages. Visiting all the temples of one prefecture in an extended weekend, one can perform the pilgrimage in a series of short segments and miss a minimum of workdays. While it may seem less physical than walking the pilgrimage route, a bus pilgrimage is quite taxing on the pilgrim. They awake early in the morning to start visiting temples and only spend 15-20 minutes at each temple praying and singing the songs as well as anything else they want to do at the temple before moving on. In its own way, this kind of pilgrimage seems very tiring. However, despite the short times at each temple and the constant moving, this type of pilgrimage has its advantages. First, the bus pilgrimages are popular with older pilgrims who feel too weak to perform the pilgrimage on foot or those people who are sick. It may be tiring on their bodies, but it is certainly less physically demanding than walking. Second, these bus pilgrims are provided with a very religious experience as shown in this interview with a taxi driver:

"I started working for Okawa taxi 25 years ago when I was 28 years old. When I'm leading a group, I wake up at 5:30 with the pilgrims. Although it is my job to drive, I also go to the main temple to pray. We attend the morning services for 1 hour, then we eat breakfast. We leave at 7 and spend the rest of the visiting temples and sacred sites. When everyone is in the bus, we chant a sutra, pray for a safe pilgrimage that day. When everyone is mentally relaxed, we sing a song together about going on pilgrimage."-2-

As mentioned earlier, some walking pilgrims begrudge the bus pilgrims as only being there with a “been there, done that” kind of attitude. However, as one can see in the interview, the experience is built around the spiritual aspects of the journey. While it may be a different experience than walking the pilgrimage, one cannot say that it is any less valid than walking. A number of pilgrims drive themselves around the pilgrimage route. This provides them with a greater degree of control over the length of time they stop places and can provide for a more relaxing experience. Thus, this method usually takes from one week to two depending on the pilgrim. Like the bus and taxi pilgrims, most car pilgrims drive because they don’t have another choice. It is a way to fit the difficulties of completing the entire route into one’s daily life. Beyond the realm of motorized vehicles, a number of pilgrims bike and walk the route. Biking pilgrims take a few weeks and follow the car roads. Walking the route takes about two months depending on the pilgrim and follows the roads as well as on trails in the backcountry.

Section Footnotes

Miyata 112

Between Two Worlds: a Japanese Pilgrimage. Dir. and prod. by Joanne Hershfield and Susan Caperna Lloyd. Videocassette. University of California Extension, Center for Media and Independent Lerning, 1992.

Dealing with Weather

Apart from the terrain, weather is also an important consideration upon the trail. Most pilgrims choose to leave in the springtime to experience the best weather. Although it will rain an average of once every three days, the days are otherwise cool and pleasant. The summers are extremely hot and humid, making travel difficult, especially when one is carrying a heavy pack. From the end of summer though winter is typhoon season. The typhoons come often and last for a few days drenching the whole island (especially Kochi Prefecture on the southern coast) and blasting it with wind. In addition, as the distance between temples greatly increases in the Kochi area (up to 100 km between temples), the long days of walking can be grueling under typhoon conditions. The winter brings cool weather to all of Shikoku, but causes problems in Matsuyama prefecture. The temples in the south of Matsuyama are in the mountains and thus suffer heavy snowfall. In addition, as pilgrims are fewer during the winter months, many inns and rest stops are closed, increasing the difficulty. In most of the literature written about the pilgrimage, a reverse pilgrimage during winter is spoken about with respect and awe. While the choice of springtime to perform the pilgrimage relates mainly to walking pilgrims, tour busses and drivers still use the same time tables as it is the best time to experience the island. As one can imagine, given the variability in weather and terrain, one’s preparation and equipment is very important.

Equipment and Clothing

The walking pilgrim must come prepared for anything. With new technologies and materials, rain gear and cold weather clothes are readily available and most pilgrims carry them without a second thought. One man I saw had a large plastic sheet with which he covered himself to keep off the rain. In addition, a medical kit stocked with band-aids, medical tape and disinfecting fluid should be carried in case of accidents or, more commonly, blisters. Although it is unavailable in Japan, products such as moleskin can help immensely with blisters when they form on one’s feet. Although water is fairly readily available, one should carry enough water to get through a day under a hot sun due to the occasional long distances between temples. Pilgrims who want to camp out will often bring a tent with them in which to sleep. Even with all these conveniences and aids to the journey, the Shikoku Pilgrimage is still long and taxing. It was a pilgrimage upon which people were likely to die in earlier times. Thus, the traditional pilgrimage garb is saturated with religious symbols signifying a readiness for death.

Traditionally, a pilgrim wears a white oizuru (白衣), a short jacket that extends just beyond the waist, and a pair of white pants.-1- In Japanese custom, white is the color of purity and death and it is the color of the shroud that corpses are wrapped in prior to burial. Thus, the pilgrim is symbolically (and more literally in older days) prepared for death as they set off on the pilgrimage route.-2- Beyond the clothes, there are a number of important tools that must also be considered a part of traditional pilgrimage equipment.

The suge-kasa (すげ笠), or sedge hat (henro-kasa in the image below), bears six lines of calligraphy. In the front is the Sanskrit letter Yu () which is a representation of Kōbō Daishi “holding a five pointed Vajra in his right hand and a nenju, or juzu (a rosary), in his left hand, sitting on a lacquer chair and showing salvation.”-1- In addition, this Sanskrit letter represents the Maitreya Bodhisattva, known as Miroku Bosatsu (弥勒菩薩)-2-. Kūkai believed strongly in the salvation of Maitreya and in the Goyui-gō, Kūkai’s final will. He spoke on his passing into eternal meditation, “But you need by no means grieve, for my spiritual force will still be alive here. Even after entering into the eternal meditation, I will save all sentient beings, accompanied by Maitreya Bodhisattva in the Tusita Heaven. Surely I will return here again with the Bodhisattva, 5.6 billion years later.”-3- One can see the strong connection between the two. On the back of the suge-kasa is written dōgyō ninin (同行二人), reinforcing the sense that through out one’s pilgrimage and religious practice, Kōbō Daishi always accompanies one. In addition, there are also 4 other lines that are on the diagonals. Together, these four lines form a poem that “radiate[s] … in the four directions:”-4-

Sangai ni mayō ga yueni 迷故三界
Jippō kū o satoru ga yueni 悟故十方空
Honrai tōzai nakereba 本来無東西
Izuku nanboku ari ka 何処有南北
Though lost in the three worlds;
We cannot know the emptiness of the ten directions.
Originally East and West do not exist,
So where does North and South exist?-5-

In Buddhist thought, the three worlds refer to the world of desire, the world of form and the world of formlessness. There are the worlds “in which unenlightened beings live: the world of desire-driven beings, the world of beings with form; the world of beings without form.”-6- As an unenlightened being, one wanders through these worlds trapped in one’s attachment to the concepts contained within or rejecting all of them and living in a world of paradox, unable to reconcile the mutually exclusive ideas of world rejection and world acceptance. In the end, one wants to be free of these dichotomies but cannot believe in things and not believe in things at the same time. Thus, one remains trapped. However, upon learning about and experiencing the teaching of Buddha, one comes to understand the illusory nature of the world. Indeed, all three worlds are just illusion and in reality, the ten directions of the universe that one thought were full of paradox are actually empty. One realizes that West and East do not truly exist; they are merely arbitrary designations created by humanity to help with navigation and understanding but truly mean nothing. If they do not exist, then how can one say that North or South exist?-7-

Section Footnotes

Miyata 21

Maitreya will be the next Buddha born in 5.6 billion years to save humanity. (Miyata 36)

The kongō tsue (金剛杖) is a wooden staff carried by the pilgrim. There are three main parts to this staff, the covering, the bell and the staff itself. The covering is a cloth, usually with quite colorful and extremely noticeable designs. However, as designs and styles can differ widely and some pilgrims do not even have one on their staff, the purpose is most likely decorative or protective of the staff. The second part is the bell. Depending on the pilgrim, the bell can be of all different sorts of sizes or even an entirely different object. However, regardless of type, this object acts as an o-mamori (お守り), or amulet, that protects the traveler upon the road. Finally, the staff itself bears several key features. It is, in all instances, the physical manifestation of Kōbō Daishi and must be taken care of as such. For example, when a pilgrim stops for the night, he or she is supposed to clean off the base of the staff similar to how one would wash one’s own feet. Written on the upper middle area of the staff are the words Namu Daishi Henjō Kongō (南無大師遍照金剛), also known as the Gohōgō Mantra.-1- This mantra means “Homage to the Savior Daishi, the Illuminating and Imperishable One.”-2- This is the Mantra that is supposed to be chanted three times in front of the Daishi Hall at every temple. Just under this mantra are the words dōgyō ninin (同行二人), same as on the suge-kasa. Finally, hidden under the covering, is the last part of the staff. The top has a pyramid shape to it and then there are four notches carved into the wood about an inch apart. This is to represent a sotoba (卒塔婆), which is a wooden grave tablet or a stūpa from the Buddhist tradition.-3- Not only does this staff represent Kōbō Daishi as one travels the route, but it can also be used as a gravestone should one die upon the trail. In fact, “pilgrims may write their kaimyō—the posthumous name that they will be known by after death and that represents their identity as an ancestor in the next realm—just as it would be on an actual gravestone.”-4- This form, in addition to being the traditional headstone shape for Shingon graves, also “forms a paradigm of the Mikkyo or esoteric teachings and practice; it represents a symbol of the secret initiation ceremonies of Shingon-shu (Shingon School) doctrine.”-5- Interestingly, one will sometimes see this shape in the place of a Buddhist figure or image at Shingon temples. On this sotoba form, there are five Sanskrit characters written on each section delineated by the notches. There are in order from top to bottom:

Stūpas originally housed a small relic of the Buddha or a highly revered teacher or monk. Over time and distance as the stūpa traveled from India to Japan, it changed shapes and meaning. For example, in Japan, stūpas exist on temple grounds in the form of pagodas rather than as the dome shaped ones that still exist in India. For the Shingon sect, this five-storied structure came to represent the five elements that comprise the body and to which one returns upon death. These five elements, shown on the staff, are referred to as Gorintō (五輪塔).-7- Finally, it is interesting to note that there are two different colored staffs. Ordinary pilgrims use the regular wooden staffs. For pilgrims who have become so experienced on the route that they begin to lead pilgrimages or act as guides, there is a scarlet colored staff available to denote their status.

The next piece of the traditional clothing is the zuda-bukuro (ずだ袋), a white bag in which one carries small essentials like maps, o-saisen (お賽銭 – offertory coins), a Sūtra book, Goeika set (bells used during sūtra chanting) and all stationary necessities.-1- In my pilgrimage, I also carried my osame-fuda (納札) and nōkyō-chō (納経帳), two very important items on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, in my zuda-bukuro.

Osame-fuda are small strips of paper that are used as offerings at temples as well as what Kushima describes as a “business card” that one gives out upon receiving a kindness or upon making friends with other pilgrims.-1- They are supposed to be carried in the fuda-basami (札ばさみ), a hard case that one wears around the neck, but I saw very few pilgrims who actually used one of these cases. Originally, these osame-fuda were metal or wood and were nailed to the temple gates, but this practice has not been continued to the modern day.-2- A basic osame-fuda bears the information about where it was purchased as well as an image of the Daishi and the phrase hōnō-shikoku-hachi-jū-hachi-kasho-reijō-junpai (奉納四国八十八ヶ所霊場巡拝), translated as, “Dedication to the Pilgrimage of the 88 Sacred Places of Shikoku Isle.” In addition, we find the same dōgyō ninin (同行二人) expressed here to reinforce the sense that Kōbō Daishi is always traveling with one. On this osame-fuda, one writes one’s name, address and the current date. Some also bear the age of the pilgrim and a wish or hope that one seeks while one is performing the pilgrimage. As one can imagine, these osame-fuda can be a treasure trove for anyone who wants information. Temples have been known to send mailings to the address on the cards and Kushima reports that he was the victim of someone using his personal information for petty theft.-3- Unfortunately, such things exist in the modern era. Beyond the information upon the card, the color of the card has special meaning as well. As one performs the pilgrimage more times, the color of one’s osame-fuda changes. From one to four times, one uses a white osame-fuda. From five to seven, one uses a green osame-fuda. From eight to 24, one uses a red osame-fuda. From 25 to 49, one uses a silver osame-fuda. From 50 to 99, one uses a gold osame-fuda. Beyond 100 times around, one uses a brocade cloth osame-fuda instead of paper osame-fuda.-4- There is the sense that an osame-fuda gathers merit and religious worth the higher up they are. Thus, one may find local people searching through the offering box to find the silver and gold osame-fuda to use as protective amulets.-5- However, it appears that not everyone agrees with this philosophy. Kushima reports that there are some pilgrims who feel that one should not take pride in the number of times one has completed the pilgrimage and who thus only use white osame-fuda, regardless of the number of times they have completed the route.-6-

The nōkyō-chō is the stable of every pilgrim upon the pilgrimage route. It is a book in which one receives stamps from the various temples that one visits. These stamps bear the Sanskrit representation of the principle Buddhist figure in the main hall, the name of that figure, and the name of the temple. On top of that are red stamps with the same information. While the mainstream temples make these stamps entirely by hand, some used woodblocks instead. However, it appears that in recent times, temples that used to use woodblock have begun to switch over to hand written stamps.-1- Originally, the purpose of this book was as a travel permit. During the Tokugawa period, there was great suppression of travel and migratory people. Thus, completing the nōkyō-chō was proof of one’s holy status and a travel passport.sup>-2- From there, the belief that a completed book showed one’s “spiritual merit and devotion”-3- developed. In addition, such a book could gain one access to the Pure Land after death and even to this day, there are cases of a pilgrimage book being placed upon the coffin of a deceased pilgrim.-4- While the nōkyō-chō is the most popular method of preserving the stamps, pilgrims also use a white pilgrim’s jacket or a scroll for the stamps. Some pilgrims will carry and complete more than one at the same time as was the case of one pilgrim I saw carrying several scrolls at once. The one main difference between the nōkyō-chō and the other methods is that the nōkyō-chō is used repeatedly while the others are not. Being mainly for display purposes, the stroll and jacket are to remain clean and clear. However, the same nōkyō-chō is used for all of a pilgrim’s travels and ultimately, one can see the number of times a pilgrim has completed the route by the number of times the stamps have been written over each other.

The wagesa (輪袈裟), or what is called a stole, is a strip of cloth about two feet long and three inches wide.-1- This cloth is symbolic of a monk’s robe and is intended to show one’s devotion to the Buddha and following his teachings.-2- In fact, in older times, some temples had posters that said, “those without a rosary and a wagesa are not considered worshipers.” These wagesa are considered the “uniform for worship” and so by wearing one, one is dedicating one’s self to worship and religious ritual. The origins of the wagesa lie in the clothes of the historical Shakamuni.-3- Stories hold that Shakamuni wore the same set of clothing for the six years he meditated and practiced before reaching Enlightenment. Thus, his clothes were full of holes and ragged. Monks take old, ratty clothes and repair them for usage in order to get closer to the heart of the Buddha. This robe, called a kesa (袈裟) was then abbreviated repeatedly until only the two-inch wide wagesa remained.-4-

A final main piece of equipment for a pilgrim is the nenju (念珠), or juzu (数珠), which is known as a rosary in other religions. The nenju on the Shikoku pilgrimage contain 108 beads representing the number of misleading Karmas and may also be used for counting mantras.-1- These misleading Karmas, also called the 108 bonnō (百八煩悩), are the 108 “afflicting passions” that bind people in Samsara, the world of suffering.-2- The origin of the number 108 comes from the senses. The body has six senses (eyes, ears, tongue, nose, body and mind) that can be used to identify an object. These form six different kinds of bonnō. The reactions one can have to the object may be “desirable, undesirable, neither desirable nor undesirable, pleasurable, painful or neither pleasurable nor painful.”-3- These six reactions applied to the six senses create 36 kinds of bonnō. Of course, one’s reaction can be in the past, present or future, so 36 multiplied by 3 equals 108.-4- These 108 beads do not include four smaller beads called shitennō (四天王), or four heavenly kings “which represent the Four Heavenly Kings said to dwell on the four sides of Mt. Sumeru, the central mountain of any world system.” There are also two large beads called oyadama (親玉), or parent beads, and a few additional few beads that hang from them. The structure of the nenju also illustrates the meaning of the different kinds of beads. First divided in half by the two oyadama, “each side is further divided into sections of 7, 14, and 33 beads by the two shitennō beads.”-5- The purpose for this division is not fully known, but in the Shingon school, the arrangement reflects the prayer formula. One chants the phrase, “Namu Daishi Henjō Kongō” seven times or twenty-one times (three times seven).-6- Thus, one can chant the phrase once per bead to the first shitennō for seven repetitions or to the second for twenty-one. When traveling, the nenju should always be held in one’s left hand.-7- This is because the left hand symbolizes the world of Samsara with its 108 bonnō while the right hand represents Nirvāna. It is only through the usage of the nenju that these two worlds come together to be seen in their true Oneness.-8-

Thanks to modern technologies and for sake of ease, some of this has changed. Similar to how the wagesa is an approximation of the monk’s robes that shows one’s religious devotion, modern pilgrimage clothes are an approximation of traditional garb to show one’s devotion to the pilgrimage. While full, long sleeve versions of the oizuru are still easily available, the vast majority of bus pilgrims choose instead to use a sleeveless vest that they can wear over normal clothes. Walking pilgrims tend to use clothes that are comfortable to walk in, but are still white rather than opting for the temple purchased clothing. I saw next to none who actually wore the full regalia of traditional clothing. Hardly anyone but the walking pilgrims wear the suge-kasa and even then, one is more likely to just see a regular hat instead. In terms of the wagesa, nearly every bus pilgrim wore it, while only a few walking pilgrims (that I encountered) wore it. Although the vast majority of pilgrims no longer wear the traditional pilgrim’s clothes, they do still follow the “proper” method of worship at a temple.

Worship

There are many different opinions about the right way and wrong way to worship. I found on my journeys that one best worships in the way that meets one’s needs. Of course, there is also the expected method of worshipping. In his book, Rev. Miyata lays out what all a pilgrim “must” do at each temple:

The Henro pilgrim must attend the worship service at the Fudasho temple [a temple on the pilgrimage route where one offers osame-fuda], in conjunction with the following steps:

Wash your hands and clean your mouth in water.

Proceed to the Hondō (main shrine).

Offer the Osame-fuda (name card) and Osaisen (offertory coins). Offer a Senkō (sticked incense) or a candle if possible.

Offer the Osame-fuda and Osaisen in the same way [as] at the main shrine.

Chant a Sūtra once.

Chant the Gohōgō Mantra (Namu Daishi Henjō Kongō) at least 21 times.

Kigan (the concluding prayer to invoke the power of deity and extend it to all beings).

Chant a Goeika if possible.

Recessional: leave for the temple office and ask a priest / receptionist [for] the seal of a Nokyocho Book.-3-

The usage of “must” in quotations has no intent to demean the validity of these steps. With the exception of attending a worship service, every single bus tour follows the same steps. However, this is not the only method of worship. In his brief, online English guide to the pilgrimage, Jeffrey Hacklet wrote, “If you are a strict Buddhist, do as the [books] suggest. At temple #1 or where you start, you will quickly observe how the "henro" pray. If their system meets your needs, great. I wanted something more. I created my own system and I followed it faithfully.”-4- Clearly, not everyone agrees on the methods by which one should pray.

Section Footnotes

Hannya-shingyō (般若心経), also known as the Heart Sūtra, is one of the most popular sūtras in Buddhism. This sūtra features the Boddhisatva Avalokita-svara (Kannon – 観音 in Japanese) who sees all the suffering of individuals in the world and helps them in their troubles. Thus, people seeking aid or guidance in a difficult situation often chant this sūtra. - (Yamanda and Takemoto)

Kōmyō-shingon (光明真言), known as the Light Mantra, asks that compassion be spread to all beaings.

Gifts

One last, crucial element of the pilgrimage is in the tradition known as o-settai (お接待). O-settai are gifts given to pilgrims by individuals either randomly along the path or in groups as part of a planned visit. During my walk, I received a large quantity of oranges from local people I met randomly. However, these gifts are not limited to food. From one of the Inns I stayed at, I received a bag with the image of Daishi on it as an o-settai. At another point, a woman stopped me on the street and asked me to pray for her recently departed relative, giving me 1,000 yen for a lunch. There are also cases of a night’s lodging, a free meal, or a ride being offered as o-settai to pilgrims. When offered, a pilgrim is not allowed to refuse a gift, but must accept it with great thanks to the giver. In folklore, this gift is “an offering, via the pilgrim, to Kōbō Daishi; to refuse settai is to deny the donor the opportunity of gaining merit and sharing in the pilgrimage.”-1- Often, an osame-fuda is given in return. The tradition of o-settai is nearly as old as the pilgrimage itself and, as discussed in the history section, led to problems with the local governments. While receiving a cool drink on a hot day or a free lodging for the night might seem like useful and good gifts, many pilgrims agree that it is the immaterial gifts that are worth the most. “Pilgrims I have talked to have told me that they felt such supportthe smiles, bows, and encouraging comments received from people along the waymanifested, for them, the real essence of settai and helped them on their way with moral encouragement.”-2-